March 16th features California pioneers (Can you
say Ca-Ching?) and a feature to compare similar wines to ascertain the differences of terroir, weather, altitude and I suppose palates. Having quickly gone
through the release I have seven wines to recommend but none of them are true
‘must buy’ wines. Of them, I expect the best to be the Veneroso, the ’07 Cellole CCR and the Luca syrah. There are a number of big name, big bucks wines from California in the release
but the number of cases available for some is pretty small. It’ll be fun to
watch the stock brokers, bankers, doctors, lawyers and plumbers fighting over
those ones! The release scores 58-62 on
the VRSS. For 2013 the Vintages releases
have been consistent, if nothing else.
Luca Laborde Double
Select Syrah 2010-$22.95 - 339 cases of 6 - From the Catena family’s Luca
Winery, this is a very good example of higher altitude Argentina Syrah.
San Fabiano Calcinaia
Cellole Chianti Classico Riserva 2007- $26.95 -199 cases – Terrific vintage
for a consistently very good to excellent wine. They also produce olive oil and are located about 25 km from Villa Nora (about 15 as the crow flies).
Vicchiomaggio
Agostino Petri Chianti Classico Riserva 2009 - $19.99 – 599 cases – A food
wine from another producer who is deserving of your attention.
Tenuta di Ghizzano
Veneroso 2009 $29.95 and 399 cases –
94 points from Galloni and under $30. The review reads like this should be a
$50 or $60 wine. Do you have time? You’ll
need it to wait for this one to soften up and come around. I don’t expect this
to be one to pop and pour so be ready to decant this morning and drink tonight,
if you must drink now. And serve with something that’ll stand up to it.
Hewitson Miss
Harry 2010 $19.95 – Another good Aussie
GSM. Vintages has had a good run of them lately. This one is OK priced based on Ontario prices
for Aussie GSMs - unless you compare it to one of the many available 2010 Cotes
du Rhone Villages. Then, not so much.
Skillogallee Shiraz
2008 –From the Clare Valley so not a massive fruit bomb. It’ll be
interesting to compare this and the Jim Barry The Lodge Hill in the March 30th
release.
Menguante Garnacha
Seleccion 2007 $17.95– Grenache, so imagine a Southern Rhone offering that
has a lisp. Well priced.
Big Bucks
Taurasi Vesevo 2007 – $35.95 – An acquired taste ISD
with only 39 cases of 6 so become really good buddies with the Vintages
consultant at one of about 6 stores. Otherwise, fahgeddaboud it. Aglianico.
La Gerla Brunello di
Montalcino 2007 – $49.95 - 199 cases – Another big buck charmer from
Brunello.
Shafer One Point Five
$84.95 “I won the lottery!” If you just uttered those words rush right out and
buy a case of this wine. Wonderful wine, it just says Napa Cab!
Shafer Relentless
2009 $84.95 - 29 cases of 12 – A question to Vintages and LCBO management, “Why
bother putting this in a Vintages catalogue?” Just send a few from each case
off to your political cronies and be done with it!
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